The Business and Community Outreach Division plays a support role for many of the more traditional programs within the department. This new Division administers the Small Business Assistance/Small Community Assistance Program, the Louisiana Clean Water State Revolving Fund Loan Program, the Louisiana Environmental Leadership program and the Community Industry Relations Program. The Division is also responsible for facilitating public awareness regarding litter and recycling.
The Small Business / Small Community Assistance Program works with entities that might need a little extra help to comply with environmental regulations. On-site visits are made to help explain permit requirements, conduct pollution audits or to complete permit applications.
Louisiana's Clean Water State Revolving Fund loan program offers low-interest loans to communities for the construction or upgrade of wastewater treatment works and other water quality improvement projects. The program was created by the Clean Water Act Amendments of 1987 and the first loans in Louisiana were made in 1990. Since then, over $370 million in loans have been made to Louisiana communities. Louisiana's Clean Water State Revolving Fund loan program is Volume 7 of the Louisiana Water Quality Management Plan (WQMP).
The Community Industry Relations Program facilitates involvement with citizens and neighborhood groups in the Department’s regulatory and permitting processes. In addition to serving as the agency contact to address allegations of environmental injustice and a link for communication between communities, industries, and the government, this program also responsible for the following:
1) Serves as a go-between to resolve community/industry disputes;
2) Conducts environmental outreach campaigns focused on increasing environmental awareness while providing environmental education; and
3) Facilitates LDEQ staff awareness about environmental equity and justice issues.
The Litter and Recycling Group works closely with educators, students, local governments and industrial sectors to promote a litter-free environment and the culture of reduce / reuse / recycle.
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